When someone asks an assistant for a dentist, a plumber or a place to eat nearby, it rarely gives ten options. It gives two or three and explains why. Local businesses that understand how that shortlist is made get most of the calls.
Reviews are read, not counted
Assistants summarise what reviews say. Forty reviews that mention calm staff and clear prices do more than four hundred that only say great. Ask customers to describe what happened, not just to leave stars.
Service pages decide the match
A question such as who treats nervous patients is answered from the page that says so in plain words. Give each service its own page with:
- Who it is for
- What happens at the first visit
- Price or a clear price range
- How to book and how long the wait is
Facts must agree everywhere
Opening hours, address and phone number have to match on your site, your map listing and every directory. A model that finds two different closing times will prefer a competitor it can be sure about.
Answer the questions people ask on the phone
Parking, access, payment plans, emergency slots. Put the answers on the site as short questions and short answers.
Nearby is not enough. The assistant recommends the business it can describe.
What to check this week
Ask three assistants for your service in your town, the way a customer would say it. Note who is named and what reason is given. That reason is the gap to close, and it is usually something you already do but never wrote down.
